"He said, the white man, he can make marks on a piece of paper, and he can send that paper far away," said Williams. "Another white man can look at that paper and he can look at those marks and he knows what that first man is thinking."

Tessa Campbell, assistant curator of the museum and a tribal member, says the building's design reflects the tribe's culture:

"The building’s outside is made from cedar, which was highly valuable," she says. "It was considered gold to Tulalip people. They would make their longhouses, canoes, even clothing because it was impervious to rain. Everything was made form cedar."

The building's details show the balance of traditional and new, including:

Heavy cedar entry doors with the image of men in cedar hats, in a cedar canoe, on a river brimming with salmon that was carved by a tribal member.

The pattern in the tile floor is a GIS mapping of the Snohomish River.

Tulalip artists carved two "welcome figures" at the entrance to the exhibition space.

Window art throughout the center was designed by a tribal member.

This history isn't from books

"What people will see when they come here, the exhibition theme is going to be is a story about the Tulalip people, by the Tulalip people for the Tulalip people," says Henry Gobin, museum director and a tribal elder.

He says some traditions have changed a lot throughout the years, especially since the tribe put in a casino and business park. Take fishing, for instance:

"The girls here are still very capable of making fishing nets out of nettles," he says. "But that redefinition, you go from sea going canoes to powered boats to nylon fishnets. The concept of fishing and providing is still there, it’s just taken on a different medium and process."

"I grew up off reservation and I’m learning so much about Tulalip culture. I’m learning the Lushootseed language, which I was never exposed to. I’m learning ethnobotany. For me, it’s been a spiritual awakening."

These types of realizations are exactly why tribal members say they wanted the center. That way, future generations will never forget what it means to be Tulalip.

Visiting the cultural center

Opening Dates: August 19, 2011 for tribal members and spouses. August 20, 2011 for general publicLocation: 6410 23rd Avenue NE, Tulalip, WA 98271Hours: Tues - Fri 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat - Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.Admission:$10 for adults (18 years & older$7 for seniors (50 years & older)$6 for students (6 to 17 years)$6 for military and veteransFree for children (5 years and younger)$25 for familiesFree for Tulalip tribal members

Or, get free entrance for a year by becoming a cultural center member. Rates start at $50

“Artscape” is a weekly KPLU feature covering Northwest art, performances and artists. The feature is published here on Sundays and airs on KPLU 88.5 on Monday during Morning Edition, All Things Considered and on Weekend Saturday Edition.